City Council moves to accept grant funds to assist with building stabilization costs

TROY >> The City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to accept grant funds which would allow several vacant buildings to be stabilized, a first step toward what some hope will be a trend to preserve rather than demolish derelict properties.

The Council passed the ordinance during its monthly meeting Thursday to accept $114,000 from the New York State Home and Community Renewal Office's Urban Initiative Grant to fund the Troy Architectural Program's "Five to Fix" program, which was born out of the city's Vacant Buildings Workgroup.

TAP Executive Director Joe Fama, whose agency will be soliciting bids from contractors to stabilize the structures at 3056, 3058, 3270 and 3320 Sixth Ave., stood before the council to stress the importance of the program.

Fama said that while TAP won't completely rehabilitate the buildings, it will at least repair some of their most badly damaged portions to make them presentable enough for potential buyers to view. He added if the city doesn't begin to do something other than demolish buildings, it will have the appearance of a "factory of vacant buildings."

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"We have to allocate more resources to saving buildings rather than demolishing them," Fama said.

Several Council members spoke in favor of the legislation as Councilman Bob Doherty, D-District 4, said the aesthetic of the buildings in Troy convinced him to move to the city and purchase the home he did.

"We need to recognize the buildings we have are our legacy and we need to protect them" Doherty said. "This is the future for Troy and we should sign on with enthusiasm."

Councilman Mark McGrath, R-District 2, who noted he and Fama have had some disagreements in the past, said he saw the legislation as a good idea.

"We know we can't rehabilitate these buildings," McGrath said, adding it wouldn't be economically feasible. "If we can stabilize and button them up so they don't go into further disrepair, I agree they can be re-purposed and be done."

Also Thursday, the Council unanimously voted to accept several grants to aid the Police Department in fighting crime as well as being prepared for emergency situations. Two of the grants came from the New York State Homeland Security from 2011 and 2012 to fund new equipment to be used in disaster and emergency scenarios.

The two grants, which total $218,000, will give funding for the department to purchase an interoperable radio system and tactical equipment for the emergency response team. The money would also be used to purchase equipment allowing police to establish an emergency operations center wherever it would need to in the city in the event of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack.

There was $287,000 awarded by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Service from the Impact X grant program to the city and the Rensselaer County Joint Task Force.

The grant would be used to fund the salaries of a crime analyst, a domestic violence investigator and a field intelligence officer. There would also be $70,000 allotted for overtime costs.

As November inches closer, Council members also unanimously approved a resolution to enter into a contract with USA Track and Field Adirondack to provide road race management for the annual Turkey Trot race.